


gone fishing

by alohacowboy



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-17
Updated: 2017-05-17
Packaged: 2018-11-02 00:12:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10932933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alohacowboy/pseuds/alohacowboy
Summary: the construct- a marriage of arthur's whimsy and merlin's magic- is all romance.





	gone fishing

The construct- a marriage of Arthur's whimsy and Merlin's magic- is all romance: sturdy, cast-off clothes, scavenged crockery, and dinner served depending on whether or not you can catch it. It's all cunning thrift and sacrifice, plain and lovely, and in the middle of it all Arthur informs Merlin they're going fishing because he'll go insane if they stay put in the house.

Along the walk Arthur rhapsodizes about the fishing lake in the same way that Merlin remembers talking about the garden a few minutes? hours? days back? And, really, Merlin thinks there is no need for words because Arthur paints a picture for Merlin with the simple touch of his thoughts, of something sky-mirrored and green-tinted as though a fog has been creeping into Merlin's memories, of stillwater sunlit-warm. When they arrive at the lake, the surface is grey and broken with waves. Merlin gamely rolls his trousers up over his knees, though, and bravely tests the water: the water is warm despite appearances and Merlin smiles because Arthur's thoughts have yet to betray him here.

Merlin watches the darting glints of sun between his legs, refracted light that he reaches past, catching the small quicksilver fish expertly between his hands. Behind him, Merlin hears Arthur sigh and when he looks back he sees Arthur giving him an unimpressed look before he starts pawing through a tackle box, the neatly compartmentalized bobbers, lures with tufted dust-colored fans, tangled lines, sinkers, hooks purple with rust or blood, all manner of implements the purposes of which are mostly unknown to Merlin.

When Merlin asks Arthur to explain the function of the assorted implements Arthur gives him an even more unimpressed look than before and haughtily orders Merlin to dig up a worm.

'This is Agravaine,' Arthur says when he finally casts and catches his first fish which is gulping, humongous, and truly hideous.

Merlin bites his lips, but the traitorous smile slips through.

'What's that, Agravaine?' Arthur frowns as if listening intently, grasping the fish close to his ear. 'You want us to what! You want us to _roast_ you? What an unpalatable idea! But, if that's what you really want who am I to say no to you?' Arthur waggles his eyebrows at Merlin and Merlin meets it with a deadpan expression- their gazes hold for a beat too long, enough time for Merlin to feel sure that all his love for Arthur must inevitably be showing, bursting like light from his eyes.

Merlin watches the color rise to Arthur's cheeks as Arthur looks away, but doesn't comment on it.

Their hands become slippery over time, flecked with shed scales. Arthur nearly takes Merlin's eye out with an overenthusiastic cast. Merlin gashes his thumb on the green-and-grey scales of the second catch; the wound heals itself even more sluggishly than usual but Merlin doesn't mind, not when Arthur holds his hand between both of his own, badly-disguised concern in his ice-blue eyes.

'Not this one,' Arthur says, when he reels in another a few minutes later. He crouches to unhook the caught fish, all fat and silver-scaled, still gasping around the remains of the bait. 'We'll let it go.'

Merlin looks at Arthur inquiringly.

Arthur rubs the back of his neck and looks at the ground where the fish lies gasping. 

Merlin barely catches Arthur's mumble. 'This one looks just like you, Merlin.'

Merlin thinks Arthur's carried the metaphor a little too far. And clearly, his opinion must be showing in his expression because-

'Wow, Merlin, what's that look for?' Arthur grins. 'No, really, this one's gone all pale and noble-looking,' Arthur insists and picks up the gasping fish and tosses it back in the water. 'No one's poaching you, not on my watch.'

'Your concern is as always touching,' Merlin remarks dryly and Arthur grins and nods at him.

**Author's Note:**

> From Bing Crosby's and Louis Armstrong's 'Gone Fishin'
> 
> CROSBY: Folks won't find us now because-  
> BOTH: - Mister Satch and Mister Cros  
> CROSBY: We gone fishin' instead of just a-wishin'  
> ARMSTRONG: Bah-boo-baby-bah-boo-bah-bay-mmm-boo-bay  
> BOTH: Oh yeah!
> 
> (Please comment if you enjoyed!)


End file.
